- Nạ dòng trang điểm, gái tơ mất chồng
(When the middle - aged woman adorns herself, the young lady may lose her husband)
l Middle - aged women are still attractive
l Adornment makes people much more beautiful
Nai ăn đâu, nát giậu đó
(The deer tramples down all the fenoces where it grazes)
An undisciplined man often makes mess wherever he stays
Nam mô , một bồ lấy bốn
(He who says prayers wants four baskets of food when there is only one)
It’s blamable for those who lead a religious life but still keep their greed
Nam thực như hổ, nữ thực như miêu
(Man eats as much as the tiger and woman eats as little as the cat )
Man eats more and more strongly than woman
Nam vô tửu như kì vô phong
(A man without alcohol is as bad as a flag without wind)
A man should be able to drink alcohol
Nát dẻo, sống bùi
(It's soft when it's over cooked and it's tasty when it's
under cooked )
l One should be pleased with whatever comes to him
l One can stand others’ faults easily when he really loves them
Nay ăn tấm, mai ăn gạo
(He who eats broken rice today will eat unbroken rice tomorrow )
As: Bĩ cực, thái lai
Nay sang, mai hèn
(Rich today, poor tomorrow )
As: Đói trẻ chớ vội lo, giàu trẻ chớ vội mừng
Nay tát đầm, mai tát đìa, ngày kia giỗ hậu
(He who dries the bog today will dry the pond tomorrow and will have a funeral banquet the day after tomorrow)
A lazy man can find any excuses for his laziness
Cp: Idle folks lack no excuses
Năm bà, ba chuyện
(Five ladies together make three troubles )
As: Ba bà, chín chuyện
Năm con năm bát, nhà nát cột xiêu
(Five bowls of rice spared for his five children every meal soon makes his house ruined)
One will soon be poor when he’s got a lot of children
Năm ngón tay có ngón dài ngón ngắn
(The fingers of a hand don't have the same length)
As: Bàn tay ai cũng có ngón dài ngón ngắn
Năm quan mua người, mười quan mua nết
(A girl can be bought with five quans but her virtue must
be bought with ten quans)
One’s virtue is the most important thing in oneself
Năm tiền có chứng, mười quan có cớ
(When you give out five pence you'll have proofs, when you give out ten quans you'll have evidences)
As: Kim ngân phá lề luật
Nằm đất hàng hương hơn năm giường hàng cá
(Better lie on the ground at an incense maker’s than lie on bed at a fishmonger’s)
Better live in an uncomfortable but clean place than live in a comfortable but dirty one
Nằm đất với chị hàng hương còn hơn nằm giường với chị hàng cá
(Better lie on the ground with an incense maker than lie in bed with a fishwife)
As: Nằm đất hàng hương hơn nằm giường hàng cá
Nằm giữa chẳng mất phần chăn
(He who lies in the middle doesn’t lose his part of the blanket )
Neutralism brings no loss
Nắm người có tóc, ai nắm người trọc đầu
(As: Cứ người có tóc, ai cứ người trọc đầu)
Năng hát, năng hay
(The more he sings the better his voice becomes)
One’s skill and talent become perfect in his practice
Cp: Practice makes perfect
Năng nhặt , chặt bị
(Constant picking fills the bag)
As: Già mót, ngọt canh
Năng nỏ mất cả ngõ lẫn mồm
(She who is talkative loses both her mouth and gates)
Everyone keeps away from talkative people
Năng tắm, năng mát
(The more he takes baths the more he feels cool)
As: Năng hát, năng hay
Nắng chiều nào che chiều ấy
(He hides himself from the sunward)
As: Biết thời thế mới là tuấn kiệt
Nắng đan đó, mưa gió đan gầu
(He who makes fish pots when it's sunny makes scoops when it's rainy )
One should make precautions for his life
Ném chuột còn ghê chạn bát
(He who intends to throw a stone at the mouse is still afraid of breaking the kitchen cupboard )
A careless extermination of petty injuries may cause a great loss
Cp: Don't spoil the ship for a ha'p ' orth of tar
Ném chuột, vỡ bình
(He who throws at a mouse breaks a pot )
As: Ném chuột còn ghê chạn bát
Ném đá, giấu tay
(He who throws stones hides his hands )
A cunning man often harms others stealthily
Nén bạc đâm toạc tờ giấy
(A bullion of silver pierces through an application form
of lawsuit)
As: Kim ngân phá lề luật
Nể cô nể dì, lấy gì làm vốn
(He who treats his aunts with indulgence has no more capital in his business)
As: ăn cho, buôn so
Nể quá hóa sợ
(Too much respect becomes fear)
One often hesitates to prevent others’ wrong doings when he has respect for them
Nêu cao nhưng bóng chẳng ngay
(The pole is high but its shade is not straight )
Those who are in high positions may not be respected for their wrong-doings
Nêu cong thì bóng cũng cong
(A curved pole has a curved shade)
l A bad - natured man has certainly ill deeds
l A bad man will have a bad child
l A bad superior / master will have a bad inferior / disciple
Ngày đàng không bằng gang nước
(A long day's walk is not worse than a span of water)
l A short distance of water takes people more time to overcome than a long distance of land
l Crossing a short distance by water takes more time than a long distance by land
Ngày lắm mối, tối nằm không
(He who is with many lovers by day sleeps alone at night )
As: Ba vợ bảy nàng hầu, đêm nằm chuồng trâu gối đầu
bằng chổi
Ngày vui ngắn chẳng tày gang
(A happy day is not so long as a span)
One has fewer happy days than unhappy ones
Ngắn cổ bé miệng, kêu không thấu trời
(He who has a short neck and a small mouth can't send his cries up to the sky)
As: Cóc kêu không thấu trời
Ngắn hai, dài một
(Take two when they are short ,take one when they are long)
Things for exchange must be of the same value
Ngắn quan hai, dài quan tám
(The short cost one quan and two pence, the long cost one quan and eight pence)
The more one gets, the more one has to pay
Nghe con, lon xon mắng láng giềng
(He who believes his child's words blames his neighbour in a hurry)
People may destroy their friendship by pampering their children
Nghĩa tử là nghĩa tận
(The sentiment to a dead man is the last one )
One shouldn’t show his antipathy to the dead
Ngỏ cửa cho gió lọt vào
(He opens the door and the wind blows in)
One may let outsiders know his family affairs by carelessness
Ngọc bất trác bất thành khí
(An unground precious stone doesn't become a jewel)
Without education, even a clever man can’t become a man of talent
Ngọc tốt không nệ bán rao
(A good jewel is not afraid of being sold by public auction)
A good thing is highly valued in any cases
Cp: A rose by any other names would smell as sweet
Ngồi dai, khoai nát
(He who sits too long makes his host's potatoes pasty)
One shouldn’t pay too long visits to others
Ngồi mát ăn bát đầy
(He who sits idle eats full bowls of rice )
The rich do nothing but have everything
Ngồi mát ăn bát đầy, lầy cầy không đầy bát
(Those who sit idle eat full bowls of rice, these who work hard eat half bowls of rice)
The rich do nothing but have everything and the poor have to work hard but don’t have enough food to eat
Ngồi mát ăn bát vàng
(He who sits in a cool place eats with golden plates)
As: Ngồi mát ăn bát đầy
Ngồi mát lại đòi ăn bát vàng
(He who likes to sit in a cool place wants to eat with golden plates)
Idle men often wish to live in luxury
Cp: The cat would eat fish but is loth wet her feet
Ngồi rồi lắm chuyện
(An idle man has a lot of tales )
By idle talking, one may cause a lot of trouble
Ngỗng ông lễ ông
(He is offered just his own goose )
One may be given just his own thing
Ngu si hưởng thái bình
(He who is stupid lives in peace)
The stupid often live a happier life than the wise
Cp: Where ignorance is bliss' tis folly to be wise
Ngủ ngày, cày đêm
(He who sleeps by day ploughs by night )
One is blamable to live a disorderly life
Ngủ ngày quen mắt, ăn vặt quen mồm
(A sleeper's eyes get a habit of closing as well as a nosher's mouth gets a habit of chewing)
As: Ăn cắp quen tay, ngủ ngày quen mắt
Ngụ cư bắt nạt chúa làng
(An alien bulies the village chief )
The new may bully the old
Nguồn đục thì dòng cũng đục
(A turbid source begets a turbid stream)
As: Cha nào, con ấy
Ngứa ghẻ, hờn ghen
(Jealousy is as bad as itch)
Jealousy is quite terrible
Ngựa hay thường có tật
(A good horse often has a fault )
As: Có tài thường có tật
Ngựa long cương ngựa cũng đến bến, voi thủng thỉnh voi cũng đến đò
(The horse reaches the wharf after running so hard that its reins has got loosen while the elephant also reaches the wharf after going slowly)
Slow but careful also brings about good results
Ngựa nào gác được hai yên
(No horse can suffer from two saddles)
Nobody can suffer from a lot of oppressions)
Cp: No man can serve two masters
Ngựa non háu đá
(A colt likes kicking)
The young are often pretentious
Ngựa quen đường cũ
(A horse will come back to its old path )
As: ăn cắp quen tay, ngủ ngày quen mắt
Người ăn thì có, người mó thì không
(There are eaters but no touchers)
One likes more pleasure than work
Người ăn thì còn, con ăn thì hết \ mất
(The food he treats his guests is not lost but the food he gives his children is)
What one gives outsiders will be back to him by different ways
Người bưng lỗ, người thổi kèn
(This man works on the holes of the flute and that man blows it )
One is blamable to work bureaucratically
Người câm hay nói, thày bói hay nhìn
(The dumb like to speak and fortune tellers like to watch*)
As: Điếc hay hóng, ngọng hay nói
Người chết, nết còn
(He is dead but his virtue is still alive)
As: l Cái nết đánh chết không chừa
l Báo chết để da, người ta chết để tiếng
Người chửa, cửa mả
(Pregnancy is a doorway to a grave )
Pregnancy may cause a sudden death to women
Người có chí ắt phải nên, nhà có nền ắt phải vững
(He who is a strong-willed man will get successes as a strong-foundationed house will stay long )
As: Có chí thì nên
Người có lúc vinh lúc nhục, nước có lúc đục lúc trong
(A man is sometimes in honour sometimes in dishonour as water is sometimes turbid sometimes clear)
As: Giàu chiều hôm, khó sớm mai
Người còn thì của cũng còn
(There is man, there is wealth)
As: Giàu người bằng mười giàu của
Người dại cởi truồng, người khôn xấu hổ
(When a fool is naked, a wise person feels shameful)
A cultured man may feel shameful of ill deeds made by an uncultured one
Người dưng có ngãi ta đãi người dưng, anh [chị] em vô ngãi thì đừng anh [chị] em
(We treat strangers well when they are grateful and keep away from our relatives when they are ungrateful)
Love and righteousness are the most importance in people’s relation
Người đẹp vì lụa, lúa tốt vì phân
(People are pretty with silk and rice grows fine with manure)
As: Chân tốt vì hài, tai tốt vì hoãn
Người đi không bực bằng người chực nồi cơm
(Those who are waiting for the dinner to begin are much angrier than these who have to leave it )
One is often angry when waiting too long for a meal
Cp: A hungry man, an angry man
Người gánh tránh người đi không
(The carrier stands aside for the non - carrier to pass)
It’s unjust that workmen have to respect idlers
Người ghét, của yêu
(His face is dishked but his things are liked)
One may like others’ things but dislike themselves
Người khôn, của khó
(Men are wise and wealth is rare )
It’s always difficult for people to earn their living
Người khôn nhọc lo, đứa dại ăn no lại nằm
(The wise are tired of worries whereas the foolish just eat and sleep)
The wise are often more laborious than the foolish
Người khôn nói ít hiểu nhiều
(A wise man learns much from even few words)
Wise men are very sensitive
Cp: A word to the wise
Người khôn, nói mánh; đứa dại, đánh đòn
(The wise need only a hint but the foolish need a beat to get the understanding)
As: Người khôn nói ít hiểu nhiều
Người khôn thử tiếng, người ngoan thử lời
(Through testing a man's voice and words, one can know he is wise or not )
One can be known by his voice and words
Người không học như ngọc không mài
(An unlearned man is as bad as an unground jade)
Education brings about culture and wisdom
Người là vàng, của là ngãi
(Man is gold, wealth is love)
Man is the most precious thing on the world and presents should be the symbols of human love only
Người làm nên [ra] của, của không làm nên [ra] người
(Man makes wealth but wealth cannot make man )
As: Giàu người bằng mười giàu của
Người lành đi hỏi người đui
(The unblind go to ask the blind)
It's ridiculous that a wise man may ask a stupid one for his advice
Người lành không hỏi, hỏi người mù
(He who doesn't ask the unblind for advice goes to the
blind for it)
One may not ask a wise man for advice , but ask a
stupid man for it
Người một quan khinh kẻ chín tiền
(The owner of one quan despises the owner of nine pennies)
As: Một quan đè chín tiền
Người năm bảy đấng, vật năm bảy loài
(There live together several kinds of people as well as several sorts of animals)
Don’t look at everybody with the same eye
Cp: It takes all sorts to make a world
Người ngay mắc nạn, kẻ gian vui mừng
(When an honest man gets into trouble, a dishonest man feels happy )
The bad always dislike the good
Người ở xét công , vợ chồng xét nhân nghĩa
(The servant is judged with his toil and the wife (or husband) is judged with her (or his) love)
As: Đứa ở xét công, vợ chồng xét nhân nghĩa
Người roi, voi búa
(A rod is spared for man and a hammer is spared for the elephant)
l Like criminal, like punishment
l Like matter, like solution
Người sống, đống vàng
(A living man is worth a pile of gold)
As: Giàu người bằng mười giàu của
Người ta là hoa đất
(Human beings are flowers of the earth)
Human beings are the best masterpiece of nature
Người thì xông khói, lời nói xông hương
(He himself is smoke-dried but his words are perfumed )
As: Cá vàng, bụng bọ
Người trên cây không lo, lo người dưới gốc
(The man on the tree is not anxious but the man under it is)
The insider may not be anxious about dangers or difficulties but the outsider may be
Người vụng đan thúng giữa đường
(He who is clumsy makes baskets by the road)
A fool often likes showing his knowledge
Người xinh, cái bóng cũng xinh
(A beautiful girl has a beautiful shadow)
A good person’s deeds and words are also charming
Ngưu tầm ngưu, mã tầm mã
(Buffaloes look for buffaloes and horses look for horses)
As: Đồng nát lại về Cầu Nôm
Nhà dột từ nóc dột xuống
(The house leaks on the roof first )
Men of high positions are often the first to do wrong
Cp: Fish begins to stink at the head
Nhà có láng giềng nhà, đồng có láng giềng đồng
(The house has its neighbours and the field has its neighbours, too)
l Everyone has his own neighbours
l One should pay attention to his neighbours
Nhà đói mắc bệnh bá hộ
(He who is a poor man gets the infection from a rich one )
As: Con nhà lính, tính nhà quan
(Nhà) gần chợ để nợ cho con
(She whose house is near the market leaves her debts to her children )
Living near a market, one can’t help buying things even on credit
Nhà giàu ngày ăn ba bữa, nhà khó đỏ lửa ba lần
(The rich have three meals a day and the poor light their stoves three times a day, too )
l The needs of the rich and the poor are alike
l In some aspects, the poor can compete with the rich
Nhà giàu húp tương
(The rich suck soya sauce*)
The rich are stingy
Nhà giàu nói đâu ra đấy
(The rich speak clearly )
Words of the rich are more believed than those of the poor
Nhà giàu tham việc, thất nghiệp tham ăn
(The rich are greedy of work but the poor are greedy of food )
The rich love working to get richer and richer whereas the poor love to eat for they are often hungry
Nhà giàu trồng lau ra mía
(The rich plant reeds and harvest sugar-canes )
The rich make money very easily
Cp: Money makes money
Nhà khó cậy vợ hiền, nước loạn nhờ tướng giỏi
(A clever wife is needed in a poor family and a talented general is needed in a rebellious country )
The wife’s role is very important in a family
Nhà khó đẻ con khôn
(A poor family begets wise children )
Children of the poor are often wise from their early age
Nhà không chủ như tủ không khóa
(A house without its host is like a wardrobe without locks)
Home is home as long as its owner is at home
Nhà không móng như bóng không người
(A house without its foundation is like a man’s shadow without himself )
A house should need a firm foundation to exist long
Nhà nát, bát vàng
(There is a golden bowl in a ruined house )
As: Chùa nát có bụt vàng
Nhà sạch thì mát, bát sạch ngon cơm
(A clean house makes people feel cool and a clean bowl makes food look delicious )
Cleanliness stirs good spirits
Cp: Cleanness is next to godiness
Nhà xiêu khó chống
(It’s difficult to support a sagging house )
What is in the danger of collapse is difficult to be restored
Nhác đâm thì đổi chày, nhác xay thì đổi cối
( The idle pounder changes the pestle and the grinder
changes the mortal )
An idler can find any excuses for his bad work
Nhai kĩ no lâu, cày sâu tốt lúa
(Thorough chewing makes a long fill and thorough ploughing makes a good harvest )
Precaution makes perfect
Cp: Second thoughts are best
Nhàn cư vi bất thiện
(Leisure breeds ill deeds )
Leisure is the cause of evil-doings
Cp: An idle brain is the devil’s workshop
Nhanh nhảu đoảng, thật thà hư
(Too quick will get a fall, too sincere will be bad )
As: Dục tốc bất đạt
Nhặt che mưa, thưa che nắng
(If it’s thick it’ll prevent rains; if it’s thin it’ll prevent sunlight)
As: Dày che mưa, thưa che gió
Nhặt gạch ném vườn
(He picks up a brick to throw in the garden )
A bad man just looks for tricks to harm others
Nhầm - thua, vô ý - mất tiền
(As: Lầm-thua, vô ý-mất tiền)
Nhân bần, chí đoản
(A poor man has a weak will )
One can’t think far because of his poverty
Nhân dục vô nhai
(Man’s ambition has no ways )
As: Lòng tham không đáy
Nhân duyên tiền định
(Marriage is predestined )
Marriage is made by fate
Cp: Marriages are made in Heaven
Nhân định thắng thiên
(Man’s will wins God’s )
Nobody else can manage one’s life except himself
Cp: Every man is the architect of his own fortune
Nhân hiển tại mạo, trắng gạo ngon cơm
(A man’s character is shown on his face as the white rice shows its delicacy)
As: Khôn ngoan hiện ra mặt, què quặt hiện ra chân tay
Nhân mệnh chí trọng
(One’s life is the most important thing )
One’s life is above all
Nhân sinh quí thích chí
(Satisfaction is the most important thing in life )
One’s happiness is to be able to live by his own will
Nhân tâm nan trắc
(It’s difficult to measure a man’s heart )
It’s difficult to understand a man’s mind
Nhân tình phản phúc
(Man’s feelings are changeable )
Man’s feelings are unbelievable
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